Members of the Square Root Church in Cooper City are praying for help to find a trailer that was stolen with the entire contents of their church.
On Facebook, Pastor Daniel Rios Jr. posted surveillance video of the theft, which happened about 9:40 p.m. Friday in a parking lot at 12323 S.W. 55th St.
The video shows someone driving up in a light-colored, 4-door pickup truck, then walking around the trailer, cutting off the locks, and hooking the trailer to the pickup before driving away.
Rios thinks the thief was unaware of what he took.
“My hope is that this person will get into the trailer, see what’s in it, and have a heart and bring it back,” he said. “He may not even care what’s on the inside [because] the trailer itself is worth $5,000.”
The theft was not discovered until about 7 a.m. Sunday when members showed up to begin setting up tables, chairs and other equipment for the service that is held in a rented building.
“That means we set up and tear down the entire church every week and we store everything in our trailer at the facility,” he wrote in the Facebook post describing the theft.
The stolen items also include coffee machines, drapes, signs, audio visual equipment and nursery items for the children’s ministry.
Rios said he has received a lot of calls from people and other churches offering help, including a new trailer.
“Easter is three weeks away and that’s our Super Bowl,” he said. “So, we’ve got to get some stuff.”
The theft did not deter the congregation from continuing its weekly worship service, but members did so by standing or sitting on the floor.
“You can steal our stuff but you can’t steal our worship and you can’t steal the spirit of God,” he said. “You give me a milk crate and a bull horn and we’ll have church.”
Anyone wishing to help or donate can email the church at: info@squarerootchurch.com.
Anyone with information about the theft is asked to contact Broward Crime Stoppers at 954-493-8477 or online at browardcrimestoppers.org. Tipsters can remain anonymous and qualify for a reward of up to $3,000 for tips leading to an arrest.
wkroustan@sunsentinel.com or 954-356-4303 or Twitter @WayneRoustan
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